This post will be continually updated:
Preorders:
Leica 100-400mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic. In EU at WexUK.
ZS100 (Black) at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic.
ZS100 (Silver) ay Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and Panasonic.
European and Asian price has yet not been unveiled.
Hands-on and previews:
Lens preview by Daniel Cox.
Lens hands-on at Dpreview. ePhotozine. Quesabesde. German press text SystemKameraBlog.
Compact camera hands-on: Dpreview. CameraLabs. TheVerge. Press text at WexUK. Preview at ePhotozine. TZ80 hands-on at ePhotozine. TZ80 preview at Cameralabs. TZ100 at Quesabesde.
Press text:
Leica 100-400mm lens at 43rumors.com
Video:
MTF graph and lens design:
Poll:
[poll id=”293″]
61 Responses
There seems to be different sun shaders/hoods in the adorama pictures.
http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-camcorders/lumix-camera-lenses/H-RS100400-K.html#srule=popularity&sz=24&start=25&nextIndex=0&cgid=lumix-camera-lenses
Time to play the lotto…. I’d love one of these!
My my, will you look at that MTF chart…
Nearly perfect.
But, Peevee thinks the MTF values should be divided by two and the price of the lens should be $299.
Actually, the MTF values are already divided in two. They are MTF 20 and 40, compared to MTF 10 and 30 values provided by Canon and Nikon.
MTF should be 20 and 60 for m4/3 for a more accurate comparison with FF glass. Canon and Nikon always show results for 10 and 30 The value 40 here has not direct comparison but a quick glance does make the lens look great.
Yes, I agree. Olympus does publish MTF 20 and 60 values for their curves.
It looks like my fears this lens would be much weaker at the long end were unfounded.
The recent 25mm F1.7 has impressive charts too, better than PL25mm, but the lens disappoints many even for sharpness. I haven’t received mine, no first hand info yet.
The charts might be based on simulations, not actual lens measurements.
And yes, that new 25mm is poor when it comes to sharpness. In that it’s ok wide open, but does not get much sharper when stopped down. Other than that, I can’t find anything else to complain about.
I’ve been giving it the benefit of doubt; sample variation is my go-to explanation at this pt before getting mine. Some reviewers have very good things to say about the sharpness.
My 25mm f/1.7 is more sufficient than impressive.
I still have my Four-Thirds lens, so it’s not a huge deal.
With that guys hands the lens looks tiny 😀
Great video, a good intro for the new lens
Hey…just watched the vid…This lens is very impressive. Quite small really…all things considered.
Can’t wait to see the comparisons with the Oly. Really am dying to see them head to head!!!
The lens really is not that large and even looks balance on the GX8. Oh…wait a minute….The GX8 is a freakin BRICK. :-)…actually its quite versatile at the size that it is.
Love the matt black finish and the super sporty lens hood. Pretty cool.
A brick because it doesn’t have a hump… Interesting.
Has anyone any experience with IS with a Pany zoom lens (say, for example, the 100-300mm) on an OM-D E-M1 or M5IIbody? Just wondering about how many stops would be reasonable to expect using that combo and how much “penalty” one pays by not pairing it with a Lumix body.
That really is something to consider with a lens at this extreme focal length when it is maxed out.
My not so scientific test at a camera store: I had better results using the Panny 100-300 with my E-M10’s 3-axis IBIS than with just the lens OIS. Now, this new 100-400 likely has a better OIS in it, but I think its safe to assume that an Oly with 5-axis IBIS will still likely be pretty close to this 100-400 paired with a GX8.
The Mega OIS isn’t that great. The Power OIS is much better.
I suspect we might (get that, we might) get a FW update for the E-M5 II & hopefully E-M1 to use Dual IS where the body just corrects for rotational movement only with the rest done with the OIS (in the lens). I’m not sure if they will bring that to other models or not, but there is a good chance the new Pen-F will have it. Olympus should be doing that for their 300mm f4 lens (since they have released a patent to that effect).
Anyhow, exiting times. I think I will be saving up for this 100-400 lens somehow.
Make that ‘exciting times’.
I think he already left.
Olympus are not going to enable dual IS for Panasonic lenses on Olympus bodies any more than they are going to do focus stacking with Panasonic lenses.
It doesn’t seem much of a possibility but it be a big help for me with the 35-100mm f/2.8 lens.
UK price (Wex) = £1349
A lot of vignetting in those photos he shows at like 6:20 in the video. Is that normal?
I think not because if you notice, the vignetting doesn’t change a bit when transitioning from the image slideshow to final video footage with the geese flying overhead. Looks like a video effect… If so, using it for the sample images was a very bad idea
I read “new compact lenses”… bummer.
F4-f6.3? For 1700$? No thanks.
I guess you’d rather spend $400 more to get the Canon version of the same lens?
No. Seeing as how I don’t have a FF camera to put it on. Id’ expect to pay more for a FF lens. Not FF price for a m43 lens.
Stop comparing things that are completely different!
I am quite sure that the resolving power of the FF lens on 4/3 sensor will be lower than taht of this lens…
Just stick with the Lumix 100-300 more budget lens then! The 100-400 lens mightn’t be a ‘bright’ lens but it has very good optics being Leica branded & that (not for the name) is what you are paying for, the lovely sharp detail at 400mm (well, that is what I hope it is in reality).
Or the Olympus 75-300.
Tell that to Sigma and Canon, they apparently didn’t get the memo, either 🙂
It’s not just the aperture range, but the total package and build. Assuming it’s really top-notch, $1700 might prove to be fair. Will be interesting to compare this with the much more expensive Oly. 300 + TC (f/4-5.6) and various other options.
It’s just a video, but the samples they’ve shown there didn’t really impress me. It’s a whole different price category but I guess (and hope) that the Olympus 300 will provide a much better results.
It’s hard to be impressed by highly compressed 2 megapixel images. The video really can’t tell you anything about the lens quality, I’m afraid.
Compressed images imbedded in a YouTube video don’t impress you?
I like the look of it, but dat cost doh. PanyLeica do build some stellar stuff. I don’t know, maybe I’ll have to give it a whirly whirl.
This lens would be $6k if mounted to a Leica SL. Take the bargain.
NZ$3137 if importing. I presume that means the shops here will have it for $4000 :/ lol
It doesn’t look huge on the GX8. That’s surprising but it is a small aperture lens.
That lens makes the GX8 look that much better….
43rumors – Why no post regarding the released TZ100? After all you had several previous posts of expected specs so why nothing once it is released so that readers can give their comments Yes I know the P&S TZ100 is not m4/3rds but its success might well challenge m4/3 and the majority of slow tele lenses as a quality alternative in a very small compact package.
Honestly, outside of the Canon full-frame I use for specific assignments, I’m thinking of going all Panasonic for my personal stuff. I already have the GF7 and LX100. I’m thinking of eventually swapping out the GF7 for a more “serious” body like the GX8, and will be buying the TZ100. Micro 43 body with a couple of lens, LX100, and TZ100 should cover everything I need for personal shooting in any situation.
It’s not a bad call. Personally I am using my FF with big fast glass only and using my m43’s for stuff I just enjoy playing around with. I WAY prefer my GX8 to my LX100 though, that camera is seriously undercooked.
It’s interesting that they use GX8 as the promotional gear. Is it because of the IBIS and the dual stabilization? So we can safely assume that the next flagship GH5 or whatever will have IBIS?
I’m sure it’s that and more. The GX8 has all the latest AF tech and a new sensor, too. And it’s weather-sealed. Seems an ideal match for a promotional piece.
Highest res, best EVF etc. GX8 IS the Panny flagship for stills.
Lower bursspeed, smaller buffer too, no better AF. Especially at longer FL shutterspeed is much more more important for action especially where DUAL IS won’t help too much….So it depends. For action shooting, the GH4 still rules to my mind.
Yeah maybe, but the GH4 is winding down and the GX8 is new, I guess for promotional purposes they want the GX8 in there. Pretty sure the GX8 is being thrust as the still flagship and GH4 their video machine (despite the differences).
I have both and prefer the GX8 for stills.
Price isn’t too bad tbh
Yeah the Olympus 300mm F4 is $2500. Both are interesting choices (whomever it may concern). For once Panasonic and Olympus didn’t release exactly the same thing, but two nicely complementary choices. As if they knew what the other was planning. 😉
This lens looks great, but I’m still concerned with the autofocus limitation on my panny. Contrast focus for birds in flight just isn’t as good as phase focus and no lens will change the limitations of my camera body.
Good weight, good price. WTF is Olympus thinking with their 1.5kg and $2500 monster??
Does anyone know if the image stabilization on the Panasonic 100-400 will work in conjunction with the in-body stabilization on the EM-1 or EM-5 MII?
This is really looking like a great lens. I’ll be buying this sooner than I expected. Love the color, contrast and bokeh. Should be great for photo and video.